Remember the old commercial…How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? No? Well, your dad remembers it. Go ask him. But today’s question is even simpler.
Could, for the second time in NFL history, a division fail to produce even ONE .500 team? It’s possible. In fact, looking at this crappy division, it may even be likely.
As an aside, I am aware that this is the second picture of a dejected Eli Manning I have used in a week. But hey, no one does dejected like Eli. And he’s got two Super Bowl rings so f**k him LOL. Now, back to the crappy division he plays in.
Most people would guess the Dallas Cowboys have the best chance of getting to .500 and winning the division, and they’re probably right, although the Cowboys are 2-3 and tied for first place with the Eagles right now. And the Cowboys have some issues. They can’t stop opposing passing games, and that’s a recipe for disaster in the pass happy NFL. And at 2-3, look at their remaining schedule.
They still have @Detroit, @New Orleans, @Chicago and Green Bay on the schedule. That’s four real losable games right there. That would be 7 losses. Are there two more? They’ve still got the divisional rival Eagles and Redskins twice. That would be nine, if they split.
So what of the tied for first place Eagles? Excuse me while I laugh hysterically for a moment. Ahem. That’s better. The Eagles defense is simply horrible. And where are their remaining losses? First off, they play @Tampa next week, their third road game in a row.
Care to take a look at how teams fare playing their road game in a row? I don’t care how bad Tampa is, that’s a possible loss. If we have them split with Dallas, that’s two. Then there’s @Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit. That’s three more.
One more loss? I’m guessing they lose either Arizona, @Minnesota or their next game with Washington. That would be nine.
Speaking of the Redskins, they were supposed to be something special, until it was revealed that their defense was garbage.
They can’t stop the run OR the pass. Tough break. They’re 1-3, and I see losses @Dallas, Chicago, @Denver, San Francisco, Kansas City, @Atlanta and probably 2 more. They ain’t going .500.
That leaves the Giants, who are 0-5. This team might not win a game until after the bye week, Week 10 vs. Oakland. They ain’t going anywhere near .500.
The last time a sub .500 team made the playoffs, it was Seattle, and they actually won a playoff game. Will this year’s NFC East produce a similar spoiler? It’s hard to imagine, but stranger things have happened.
